The Rustic Refinement of Belgian Reproduction

belgian reproduction square in flemish ink. Design: jake arnold / photo: jenna peffley

"Seeing is feeling with the eyes.” So says Axel Vervoordt, antiquarian, entrepreneur and titan of Belgian interior design. We love that observation, and what it says about the aesthetic born in this corner of Northern Europe — an austerity warmed and softened by texture, a tactile feast for the eyes, where colors are muted and light is invited to play along surfaces instead. It's this tradition from which our Belgian Reproduction Collection springs.

Self-Portrait in a Circle of Friends from Mantua, Peter Paul Rubens

Moody & Mysterious

From the cobblestoned squares of Brussels and Antwerp to the weathered farmhouses of Flanders, Belgium is dressed in shades of grey, black and deep ruddy red. Far from dour, it’s a serene and elegant palette — earthy yet romantic, moody and tinged with mystery — that has inspired some of the most enduring art and design in history.

Portrait of a Man (Man in a Turban) Jan van Eyck

Ann Demeulemeester AW20

From Rubens to the Runway

The Belgian aesthetic permeated art in Western Europe from the 15th century to the 17th, with Jan van Eyck, Peter Paul Rubens and other Flemish Masters among the luminaries of the age. Three centuries later, it fueled a runway revolution sparked by Ann Demeulemeester and the other young visionaries of the Antwerp Six, when they stormed London Fashion Week in 1986, stunning audiences and critics alike. And it grounded the work of Martin Margiela, from his avant-garde, nearly surreal creations for Maison Margiela in the late ‘80s to his refined designs for Hermes a decade later.

belgian reproduction square + rectangle in flemish ink. Design: lisa schmitz interiors / photo: Mike sinclair

belgian reproduction circle + losange in flemish red

Color & Craft

clé’s Belgian Reproduction collection flows from that same aesthetic wellspring, reprising the historic palette in handcrafted terracotta tile that can echo the austere grandeur of a Flemish Masters painting or the spare rusticity of the Belgian countryside, embody the modern romanticism of the Antwerp Six, or set a serene stage for your most colorful flights of fancy in furnishings and art.

belgian reproduction square in flemish black. Design: jake arnold / photo: jenna peffley

belgian reproduction square in flemish ink. Design: studio m. haas / photo: michael clifford photography

Originally in Flemish Black and Flemish Red and newly introduced in Flemish Ink, Belgian Reproduction is a true terracotta (the only kind clé offers), with a visual and tactile softness that belies its strength. This soft-but-strong combination comes courtesy of the way authentic terracotta is produced: it’s fired at a very low temperature, resulting in a tile that’s less porous and brittle than less-authentic terracottas. The result is a versatile tile that works in a range of environments from shower walls to the kitchen backsplash to the foyer floor. (It’s even fine to use outdoors in warmer climes as long as it is not used in freeze/thaw areas. Always follow the recommendations of your experienced installer.)

Artful Imperfection

Hand mixing and traditional firing methods lend each batch of Belgian Reproduction tile a matte finish with subtle imperfections that speak to its artisan origins, along with variations in thickness and shading from tile to tile that create a dynamic sense of movement across surfaces.

belgian reproduction star + cross bundle in flemish black + flemish red

belgian reproduction star + cross bundle in flemish black, flemish ink + flemish red